Roadside memorial installed

After the state's first roadside memorial was pounded into the ground Wednesday, Joel Mains recalled the life and death of the teenager whose name appears on the crisp blue and white sign.

Standing before a crowd of dignitaries and friends gathered along Illinois Highway 72 near Gilberts, Mains spoke as an advocate against drunk driving and as a parent brokenhearted over the death of his stepdaughter killed in 2003 by a drunk driver.

"I had a hard time coming up with the words about how I feel today," Mains said. "It's a comfort to know Caitlin's memory and legacy can live on through these signs."

The memorial marker installed by the Illinois Department of Transportation is a 36-inch wide-by-24-inch high metal sign that reads: "Please Don't Drink and Drive." A separate panel reads: "In memory of Caitlin Weese; May 22, 2003."

The program was created under a state law that took effect in January and allows relatives of those killed by DUI drivers to request signs like the one erected for Weese, a 17-year-old Larkin High School senior. Similar programs are running in Alaska, California, Wyoming, Colorado, Washington and Florida.

The sign was placed at the spot where Weese's car was struck by an SUV driven by James Stitt, 24, of Lake Zurich. Stitt was later sentenced to 71/2 years in prison.

To qualify for a sign, the fatal crash had to occur on or after Jan. 1, 1990. If the crash occurred on a local road, applications should be presented to municipalities or counties, which will decide.

The charge for a sign is $150 without a name or $200 with one. So far, IDOT officials said they have 25 applications.

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